Have you heard the latest news?
Welcome to HR Heartbeat, where we give you a rundown of the week's top employment law stories. Stay on the pulse of current trends impacting your business, plus get up-to-the-minute commentaries on all things HR and legal.
So, let’s check out this week’s headlines…
International Women’s Day 2023
International Women’s Day (IWD) is an annual event to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness of their challenges.
This year it falls on Wednesday, 8th March, and the theme is #EmbraceEquity. Read our latest blog to learn the difference between equity and equality and find out how you can better support the women in your workplace this IWD and beyond.
Government review on holiday calculations
The government’s consultation into calculating holiday entitlement for part-year and irregular hours workers closes on Thursday 9th of March. If proposals are accepted, employers may be allowed to pro-rata annual leave for affected workers. But it could be some time before the government reaches a conclusion on how to continue.
Having trouble with complex calculations for employees with irregular hours? Find out how BrightHR makes staff holiday planning easier.
Pension auto-enrolment age might get lower
The government has backed a Bill which proposes to reduce the pension auto-enrolment age from 22 to 18. And to remove the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) for contributions, meaning younger workers and lower earners will benefit from saving more and saving earlier.
Labour promise ‘menopause action plan’ requirement
The Labour Party has announced that if in government, they will introduce a requirement for employers with 250+ employees to publish and put in place a ‘menopause action plan.’ The plan will call for employers to show how they are supporting staff who are experiencing menopause symptoms. It’s expected that the initiative will work similarly to gender pay gap reporting.
You can download BrightHR's free menopause policy guide here.
Sunday scaries
Almost half of Senior Managers say they struggle with the ‘Sunday scaries’ a term coined to describe the anxiety and dread employees face on a Sunday night when thinking about the working week ahead.
It might sound like something straight out of a cheesy horror movie—but employers beware, don’t let your staff get spooked! The ‘Sunday scaries’ can quickly escalate and increase unplanned staff absences.
Not only that, but staff who are anxious on Sunday nights are more likely to be disengaged on Mondays which could lead to ‘bare minimum Mondays.’ This is the idea that staff suffering from the Monday blues will perform their duties, but only do the bare minimum that’s required of them.
So, check in on your team and banish the ‘Sunday scaries’ for good. Get expert tips for better staff engagement.
And that’s a wrap! Tune in next week for more headlines and make sure you stay ahead of major employment law changes.